In my last episode I shared how we switched the plans for our wedding in the month before we got married. We moved it from Albuquerque, NM to Florida where my parents lived. Kevin and I flew out with 2 of my bridesmaids and our pastor on Friday, the day before the wedding.
My parents met us at the airport and took us to the license bureau; we arrived there at 4:45 pm and they closed at 5! The last $5 we had went to pay for the license. We had no money for a honeymoon (I had used all my savings to fly out myself and our pastor and Kevin’s mom paid for his trip out) but we were trusting God for His ample supply. Kevin’s mom came out with her youngest son while his dad flew the groomsmen and best man (Kevin’s other brother) out in his private plane. Throughout the day and evening family members and friends trickled in, some driving in and some flying in. We all stayed at my parent’s home (they stayed with neighbors) except for his mom and youngest brother, who went to a hotel. The floor was packed with bodies. There was lots of giggling and joking and one midnight trip to the airport to pick up a friend who was singing at the ceremony.
Now, you have to remember that Kevin was meeting my family for the very first time! The poor thing was a wreck! And I warned him that my family are kissers. His family is very reserved but my family tends to kiss everyone on the lips. Even though he knew it was coming, he was startled with every smack on the lips!! 😉
The day of the wedding was a big flurry of activity. The flowers came – very simple carnations for the men and corsages for the moms and simple rose bouquets for the women. Mine was a silk flower bouquet made by a friend in NM for a wedding gift. The luncheon trays arrived. Kevin and I were sitting on the floor finishing writing our wedding vows. My mother was a nervous WRECK and could NOT understand why I wasn’t!!
A neighbor and quasi-relative drove me to the church. He was a nice guy but could be quite cantankerous and outspoken when it came to “fanatical religious” events. But it was delightful to hear at the end of the evening that he thought our wedding was one of the nicest and tenderest ones he’d ever attended…he even cried! I was very touched.
We rented a small E Free church building and had a small luncheon at my parent’s house with the wedding party, my family and a few friends who came down to be part of the ceremony. And a group of my parents’ friends and neighbors. In all, there were about 30 people there. We had wanted to video tape it but didn’t have the money to rent the equipment (remember you young ones, this was WAY before cell phones or Flip cameras!). My friend Cheryl sang as I entered the church. This was what she sang:
During the ceremony Kevin’s brother Andy sang (and I can’t for the life of me remember what he sang!) and then after we exchanged vows, Kevin shared the gospel message in a very gentle and loving way, explaining that this was the foundation upon which we were building our lives together. My friend Monica sang this recessional song:
We were so blessed with many gifts from my parent’s friends, Kevin’s family and mine, and ended up having enough money to stay at a local hotel for several days and to go to Epcot Center at Disneyworld. My parents paid for the first night at the hotel and my mother wanted us to spend the rest of our honeymoon at her house. YIKES!! I told her that God would provide, and HE DID!! 😉
Coming to the end of the Beginning of our story has been reminding me once again of the wonderful ways God works in our lives. And how, when we seek to devote ourselves to Him and His glory, He takes care of all the rest. God has blessed us with 8 wonderful children (yes, children all 8 of you are wonderful!) and 27 years of love. Even in our hardest times, we’ve continued to look to Him and commit our lives and marriage to Him and He has taken us through.
Thank you for reading and following along on those first months of our journey together. May the Lord bless each of you in the circumstances you are in.
If you missed any of the episodes in my little tale, you can find them here.
what a wonderful ending (beginning) of your story :)….I loved the fact your neighbor cried- someone who came to my daughter’s wedding recently experienced a similar thing- all critical and cynical- but after the beautiful ceremony putting God in first place- they were like “wow, I didn’t realize it could be so special”
Aww, isn’t that sweet! Don’t you love how God gets honored?
A couple of details that Kate missed …
1) The first time during our honeymoon that we went out to eat, Kate said, “Wow, I’m starving. Do you mind if I order _[something big]_?” and she did. Then when it came she took about two bites and said, “I’m really full. I can’t eat the rest.”
Then next time we had something to eat, she said, “I hardly ate anything last time. I’m really hungry. Do you mind if I order _[something else big]_?” Then after taking a couple of bites, she said, “I’m really full. I can’t eat the rest.”
This happened about 4-5 meals in a row!
2) We couldn’t find the gas tank in our rental car. We kept pulling up to gas stations, walking around the car looking for it, giving up, and driving away again. Finally, when we were running on fumes, we stopped at a gas station and asked the fellow there, “Would you mind finding our gas tank for us?”
Turned out, it was under the license plate.
I guess the moral of the story is that marriage is more fun if you don’t take yourselves too seriously :-). It’s kept being fun ever since!
HAHAHA!! It’s true…I really think it was the absolute excitement of being married to Kevin that just took my appetite away. But I’m sure you’d wished I figured that out BEFORE I ordered all that food! 😀
So funny! (about the affection Kevin received) Amazing and a blessing to read your story 🙂
Thanks for coming by, Christina! Went to visit you at yours…I love your blog. It is so very lovely, you can tell that art is a part of who God created you to be. Blessings to you.